The Alta City Council spent about an hour Tuesday night dissecting its decades‑old 28E agreement with the Alta‑Aurelia School District — and weighing what, if anything, the city should do after the district’s decision to move high school football games and track meets to Aurelia.
City Attorney Gary Armstrong was present for the discussion and spoke at length about how the school district is interpreting the 28E agreement.
He told the council the district is focusing on the agreement’s references to high‑school activities — and, in his view, using that narrow reading to justify moving football and track to Aurelia. Armstrong said that approach ignores decades of shared use and the intent behind the agreement.
Armstrong told the council he believes the district is “flyspecking” the agreement and looking for loopholes — something he said goes against the long‑standing pattern of cooperation between the two entities. But he also warned the council that taking the matter to court would be costly and far from guaranteed.
He estimated the city would have roughly a 60 percent chance of winning — but said litigation between two public bodies in a small town would leave “bruising” and long‑term community fallout.
Council members expressed frustration over what they described as a breakdown in communication with the school district, and concern about the economic and community impacts of losing home football games — from restaurant traffic to long‑standing traditions like homecoming.
Armstrong outlined four possible paths: do nothing, sue, negotiate for at least one or two games in Alta, or seek a second legal opinion. Several council members said negotiation — particularly for the homecoming game — may be the most realistic option.
Council members also raised concerns about trust, noting past disagreements over maintenance responsibilities, parking, and sidewalk access near the school. Some said they worry the district could eventually seek to reclaim other city‑owned property used for school activities.
Others urged caution, saying the city must balance standing up for residents with preserving a working relationship that will last “the next hundred years.”
By the end of the discussion, the council reached consensus on at least one next step: seeking a second legal opinion on the 28E agreement and its references to older leases dating back to 1972.
Council members also discussed the possibility of holding a public meeting to gather input from Alta residents before deciding whether to pursue further action.
